Pure spinor superfields and Born-Infeld theory

TL;DR

This paper introduces a pure spinor superfield method to analyze higher-derivative deformations of maximally supersymmetric theories, simplifying the Born-Infeld action and revealing new structural insights.

Contribution

It develops a novel pure spinor superfield framework for higher-derivative deformations, making the Born-Infeld action polynomial and more tractable.

Findings

Born-Infeld action becomes polynomial in the pure spinor framework

The method simplifies non-abelian Born-Infeld theory

Higher-derivative deformations are systematically incorporated

Abstract

We present a method for introducing and analysing higher-derivative deformations of maximally supersymmetric field theories. Such terms are built in the pure spinor superfield framework, using a set of operators representing physical fields. The action for abelian Born-Infeld theory becomes polynomial in this language, and contains only a four-point interaction in addition to the free action. Simplifications also occur in the non-abelian case.